auto gearbox filter

NuddyBluckles · Post by **NuddyBluckles** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 8:27 pm

i have changed my gearbox oil by removing the sump but could,nt find any filter in there any clues as to what it looks like and exactly where it is or in my case should be

RobnKathryn · Post by **RobnKathryn** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 11:34 pm

Hi, I replaced my atf today too! Horrible job, especially having to work upside down after a belly full of London Pride last night. The heavens opened at regular intervals and I managed to get most of the old atf on me, the bongo underside and my drive.

Having read the factsheet in the members section, I expected to see an obvious filter! Not the case, it's actually in a sealed metal case, which is removed by unscrewing 4 x 10mm bolts. You'll probably have seen a hollow square metal bit hanging down from the guts, well this is part of the filter case through which the atf is sucked up from the pan. You can't actually get to the gauze of the filter. I just swilled clean atf through mine a few times, while shaking it around a bit to try to get as many particals out as possible, then put it back.

I was going to buy a pump and suck the atf out but decided to drop the pan so i could do the filter....given that you can't really get to the filter to give it a good clean I think I'd have been better to pump the atf out. Much much quicker and cleaner with less risk of damage.

Anyway, the jobs done now and I can't believe how much smoother the gear changes are, and the clunk which used to happen when selecting drive has gone completely.

Well worth the effort.

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 8:23 am

Well thats v interesting RobnKathryn (well done by the way - sounds like it was 'fun'). What was the condition (and/or age) of your ATF before doing the job and what was it that prompted you to do a change? My ATF looks clean, smells normal and my gear changing seems OK though. Should I bother? I believe changing every 24k is recommended, but dont fancy the aggravation if I can avoid it!!

Mike

RobnKathryn · Post by **RobnKathryn** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 12:36 am

Hi Mike
I changed the atf just as a routine service item really; I bought the van with 105K on the clock and now it's on 145K so it was due for sure. Having said that the old atf looked and smelled fine and I wasn't having any gearbox problems other than a tendancy to change up and down a bit more often than it used to but I feel that may be something to do with another problem I have. (See post titled 'front end vibration and rumble').

I wasn't really expecting the change to solve this problem and indeed it didn't, but it has made the gear shifts MUCH smoother and there is no clunk when I select D or R as there used to be.

As far as the method of changing the aft goes, I think that unless you're going to change the filter, it is much cleaner, quicker and sensible to suck the atf up through the dipstick tube rather than drop the pan. To do this the best item is a Pela 6 litre capacity vacuum pump which costs around £35. This could be used for engine oil changes too if the filter isn't being changed at the same time. You can get much cheaper syringe type tools which will achieve the same result with a bit more time/trouble.

I plan to change my atf annually from now on using the pump out method, and I think that given the cost of auto box trouble it's a good strategy. I do about 20K miles per year so it's not as often as it is supposed to be but I think often enough.

smartmonkey · Post by **smartmonkey** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:34 pm

I am afraid it is well worth doing Mike. You can double the life of the box with regular oil changes. Change the filter whilst you are on and then forget about it for 20 or 30 thousand miles.

The only reason I havent changed mine is because it had japanese documentation saying it had been done 5000km ago. I have fixed several faulty gearboxes just by doing a filter/oil change and imroved some that I didn't realise were tired.

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 5:26 pm

Thanks guys - great advice. Another bloody job to do!!!

The filter thing sounds scary smartmonkey as I thought this thread (or another like it) was saying how impossible it was to get to the filter.

I also recall some people (not all BF) I asked having v strong views about leaving it alone unless it smelt like burnt toast. I must say my box seems v smooth and changes up to top at around 38mph. If I must do it, would it be sufficient to just get a sucker upper tool and just change the ATF. the simpler the job, the more likely I am to get around to it!

What does the team think?

Mike

NuddyBluckles · Post by **NuddyBluckles** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 7:20 pm

thanks Robnkathryn,did panic for a bit when i could,nt find filter and when i came to bolt it all back together was,nt sure if i wanted to use sealant on the gasket as i have seen that goo trapped in filters before and think the gearbox internals a bit delicate and expensive, its not leaking so i,m happy.cheers

RobnKathryn · Post by **RobnKathryn** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 10:42 am

Don't be scared of the filter mike! It's easy enough to find and remove if you drop the pan.......it's in a metal casing fixed by 4 x 10mm bolts. The point I was trying to make was that the fact sheet makes it sound like it is easy to clean the filter, whereas in reality it is in a sealed metal casing which makes it difficult to clean....it can only really be flushed through.

Therefore, in my opinion, it makes sense to use the suction pump method unless you're going to replace the filter. I guess the filter should really be changed but they're not readily available I don't think.

Btw, I didn't use sealant on my pan either....I don't like it, and the gasket seemed fine. New gaskets are available form Bongobits at a reasonable price.

ebygum32 · Post by **ebygum32** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 12:17 pm

did mine a while back when i first got the van 2 1/2 years ago but planning on doing it again before i go on hols later this year,

It's quite easy to do i just had to buy the mrs a new washing up bowl as i used the old one to catch the oil, the only ball ache i had was re filling after wards so i got a 50mm syringe and filled it up that way as i did not have a small enough funnel to fit down the dipstick tube, as for cleaning the metal filter i got some white spirits and cleaned it in that,

hope this helps mike

Ozric · Post by **Ozric** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 2:13 pm

Do you really have to refill via the dipstick!!!

ebygum32 · Post by **ebygum32** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 2:35 pm

i had alook around and the only way i could get it in was via the dip stick tube and as i bought a gallon container i had to put it in the jug then draw it up in a 50mm syringe

very long and drawn out

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 3:49 pm

Rather than sit there refilling it with a syringe, cant you just put a funnel in place and charge that with oil and leave it to go in. Recharge funnel at intervals etc. I presume you have to start by putting required amount of oil in a measuring jug so you dont overfill.

Also, I'm still not quite clear on changing the ATF filter. Is everyone saying it is hard/impossible to get out and change? Can filters be got easily and at what cost? Is it still worth changing the ATF if yu dont have the pan off and clean the filter? etc. etc.

Mike

ebygum32 · Post by **ebygum32** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 5:34 pm

Mike from what i can remember once you drop the plate off the filter come out easy enough i did not change mine as i said all i did was give it a wipe down in white spirits and checked that it looked ok then put it back together,

Filling her up i did not have a small enough funnel to fit the dipstick tube so thats why i used the syringe plus as you said using the jug i had a rough idea how much i was putting in, this time i have got a funnel from the pound shop so hope fully it should be ok but if not looks like the mrs gets another new jug and bowl

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 5:41 pm

Excellent & thanks. Funnel it is then

Note to self: Dont use the one from the roof pee-tube assembly

francophile1947 · Post by **francophile1947** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 6:50 pm

BTW, in the past, I've taped washing up liquid bottles (with the bottoms cut off) to the dipstick tube and filled them with fluid - you can mark the sides as a measure and leave them to drain while you have a beer